As computer technology continues to advance, computers are required to perform increasingly complex tasks. With the increasing complexity of tasks, the circuitry found in computers has also become more complex. Computer designers and manufacturers also desire to provide these complex functions with a minimum amount of space to satisfy consumers and to reduce costs, resulting in increasingly high-density circuitry for computers. The high density of circuitry has resulted in both smaller components (e.g., headers and connectors) as well as components that are harder for users to reach.
High-density circuitry results in difficulties both at installation or construction as well as later with repair or replacement of parts. This problem often manifests with expansion headers of boards in a computer. Boards, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), allow for expansion of a computer system by connecting components of a computer system to board headers. Connectors that fit into board headers are well known in the art. These connectors typically have a plurality of electrical pins that insert into the header and a plurality of wires that connect to a component. To release the connector, a user may simply pull on the connector until its electrical pins retract from the header. In a densely packed computer, however, it may be difficult for a user to reach the connector in order to pull it out, resulting in user frustration.
This problem is exacerbated when the connector is latched to the header instead of simply inserted. Connectors are often latched to headers when it is desired that the connector does not come loose from the header, such as when a connector is used for a power supply or other important components. To latch to a header, connectors typically have a snap which, when the connector is inserted into a header, attaches the connector to the header via a header latch point on the header. Once the connector snap is in place, the connector is securely attached to the header. To remove the connector, a user must press a finger release touch point on the snap that releases the snap so that the connector may then be extracted. Because of the high density of circuit boards, however, a user may have difficulty in reaching the snap and thus cannot press the finger release touch point to release the connector. Similarly, users may have problems inserting the connector in the first place in situations where the header is difficult to get to for a user's hands. These problems can be worsened when a more robust latch is used, such as may be used for more crucial connections like those for power supplies. Even when users can reach the connector with their fingers, it may be ergonomically undesirable for them to have to press a small button in a possibly hard-to-reach location.
As the density of computer components continues to increase, users are likely to become increasingly frustrated with difficulties in inserting, latching, and removing connectors from board headers. There is, therefore, a need for an effective system to insert and remove connectors from boards.